Question

1. what is a reinforcer? 15. what did rachlin believe about learning? 16. how is conditioning used in treating agoraphobia? how is this different than the process that you might think would be used? 17. what two things change when we learn?

Explanation:

1. A reinforcer is a stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. In operant - conditioning, positive reinforcers add a pleasant stimulus (like a treat for a pet), and negative reinforcers remove an aversive one (like taking an aspirin to remove a headache).
2. Rachlin believed that learning involves making choices between different reinforcers over time. He focused on the concept of self - control and how individuals balance immediate and delayed rewards.
3. Conditioning in treating agoraphobia often involves exposure therapy, a form of behavioral conditioning. The person is gradually exposed to the feared situations (open spaces for agoraphobics) in a controlled way to reduce the fear response. One might think that a more 'talk - therapy' approach like psychoanalysis would be used instead of this direct behavioral modification.
4. When we learn, our behavior and our mental representations (cognitions) change. Behaviorally, we may perform new actions or modify existing ones. Mentally, we form new knowledge, memories, and understanding.

Answer:

1. A reinforcer is a stimulus that increases the probability of a behavior being repeated.
2. Rachlin believed learning involved making choices between different reinforcers over time, with a focus on self - control and balancing immediate and delayed rewards.
3. Conditioning in treating agoraphobia uses exposure therapy, gradually exposing the person to feared situations to reduce the fear response. One might expect a non - behavioral approach like psychoanalysis instead.
4. Our behavior and mental representations (cognitions) change when we learn.